Job summary
Working Full Time: 37.5 Hours per week
We are pleased to offer a unique opportunity for an experienced Critical Care Nurse to join the Senior Nursing Team at the Countess of Chester Hospital in a dual role as Senior Sister/Charge Nurse and Practice Education Facilitator (PEF). While the role is typically split equally between clinical and educational duties, it is anticipated that full-time hours may flex between roles depending on service needs.
This post combines clinical leadership with a strong educational focus. As Senior Sister/Charge Nurse, you will lead ICU shifts, oversee daily operations, and ensure the delivery of safe, effective, and compassionate care. You will support the multidisciplinary team, manage clinical priorities, and serve as a visible role model promoting best practice.
As Practice Education Facilitator, you will deliver high-quality education through bedside teaching, simulation, and structured training. Working alongside another full-time PEF, you will support staff development, assess competencies, and promote a culture of continuous learning in line with national critical care standards.
Main duties of the job
* The post-holder will ensure that all areas of practice adhere to all current NMC guidance.
* Establish standards of nursing care and ensure these are delivered at all times by regularly monitoring and evaluating patient outcomes.
* You will lead in establishing and maintaining effective communication with patients, relatives and carers to always ensure their involvement in the decisions about treatment, planning and the delivery of their care.
* Responsible for the management, supervision and support of all members of the allocated mentor group and others in the absence of their mentor, always acting as a professional role model.
About us
The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides services to West Cheshire and to Welsh patients covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Its services are provided from three locations:
* The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds
* Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility
* Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.
The Trust employs over 6,258 staff (headcount) which includes temporary bank staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 407,000. This includes 357,000 residents in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 50,000.
The Trust is a busy district general hospital and in 2022/2023, there were more than 503,342 patient attendances (inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery. This is an increase of nearly 10,000 compared to the previous year when there were 494,387 patient attendances.
Details Date posted
20 May 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 7
Salary
£46,148 to £52,809 a year pa
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
210-2025-349
Job locations
Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Trust
Liverpool Road
Chester
CH2 1UL
Job description Job responsibilities
See Job Description for further details.
Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs will be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.
You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application.
Person Specification Qualifications Essential
* Registered Nurse Degree
* Post registration qualification (critical care course)
* Management Qualification (ISM) or equivalent experience
* Mentorship & Assessing qualification
* ALS
Desirable
* APLS
* Leadership Qualification
Knowledge and Experience Essential
* Relevant post registration clinical experience in Critical Care at a senior level
* A broad range of clinical experience, including speciality experience and knowledge
* Basic IT skills in word processing and spreadsheets
* Experience of teaching and mentoring others
* Team leader experience
* Experience of service improvement / quality improvement
* Excellent communication skills
Desirable
* Knowledge of, and participation in, financial management within a clinical setting
* Research experience
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name
Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Trust
Liverpool Road
Chester
CH2 1UL
Employer's website
https://www.coch.nhs.uk/working-with-us.aspx (Opens in a new tab)
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